"What's a nice boy like you doing in a place like this?"

One of the reasons that I quit going to college ceremonies and 'meet the parents' events was that I was often introduced as "a REAL conservative" to parents who were worred about CU's left wing reputation. Since 'coming out of the closet' (although I was never shy about my views), I am the go to guy for any newspaper writing about politics on campus.

Ok, admittedly, I am not like my colleagues. I am a 20 year Army veteran where the only other veteran is a former US Senator (an adjunct). I was (and still am) for US actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. I am not only an open Christian (Catholic), but also a Eucharistic Minister and Lector. My music is country, I wear boots and drive a pick-up (until its recent death a beater). As one former student described me, I am a redneck with a PhD.

So I guess I add diversity to our statistics, but a question that I am often asked is - why I am so different? I have never seen it as an issue. I have been an adjunct and 'at will' employee for my entire academic career. That means that I serve at the behest of my department chair(s). Since I am now working for my 3d chair in my home department and my second program director in another department (and hired to start a program in a third), it is clear that the hiring practices are not anti-conservative.

Everytime that I hear about the great 'liberal' agenda and higher education, I keep thinking this is like the issue of gays in the military -- a bigger issue for those outside and those at the top. With the exception of some students (from another discipline) that tried to get me fired a few years back (when I got great support from my chair and members of my department), I have never felt like I was not wanted. My hiring record shows that. Students in my department don't appear to be upset about my hiring. As my friends list on Facebook shows, my former students include everything from an environmental lawyer to a special opsNCO, a palestinian supporter and a staunch anti-jihadist Army officer.

When I applied to grad school, my boss (a 2 star) asked me, "What the hell are you going to do?" and I told him "Preach to the heathen." Well after a few years, I find that the heathen don't mind.